Stoney End Cottage

The Forbidden Corner is a folly garden in the Tupgill Park Estate at Coverham in Coverdale, inside the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Built in the 1980s as a private pleasure garden, it opened to the public in 1997. The Folly Fellowship voted it the best European folly of the 20th century.

Tip: Check the official website before you go to see how tickets are booked.

Lightwater Valley is a family adventure park in North Stainley, near Ripon, set in 175 acres of North Yorkshire countryside. It began in 1969 as a self-pick fruit farm and grew into a theme park, and it was once home to The Ultimate, billed as the longest roller coaster in the world.

Tip: Book tickets online in advance, before midnight the day before your visit, to get the online discount rather than the on-the-day price.

Bolton Castle is a 14th-century castle in Wensleydale, built between 1378 and 1399 by Richard, 1st Baron Scrope. Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner here for six months, and an audio app has a recording for each room of the castle, covering her captivity, how Lord Scrope's army prepared for war and how the servants kept the household running.

Tip: Catch the bird of prey display and the boar feeding, and use the audio app to hear the story of each room.

Middleham Castle is a ruined fortress in the Yorkshire Dales, built around one of the biggest Norman keeps in England. In the 15th century the powerful Neville family added luxurious chambers around it, earning the castle the nickname "Windsor of the North". It was also the childhood home of King Richard III.

Tip: Head up to the keep's viewing platform for the best views over Wensleydale, and book tickets in advance online.

Richmond Castle stands on a commanding hill above the River Swale, close to the centre of Richmond. Alan Rufus began building it from 1071, after the Norman Conquest, and it is described as the best-preserved early Norman castle in England. You can wander the towers, halls and chapels around the big grassy courtyard, and relax in the quiet Cockpit Garden.

The Bowes Museum is an art gallery in Barnard Castle, County Durham, built in the style of a French château and set in landscaped parkland overlooking Teesdale countryside. It was purpose-built to house the collection of John Bowes and his wife Joséphine, and opened in 1892.

Tip: Check the museum's website for the current Silver Swan showing times before you go, as they differ on bank holidays and school holidays.

Brough Castle is a ruined English Heritage castle on a ridge overlooking the Stainmore Pass, built within the walls of an old Roman fort. Its towering keep dates from about 1200, and the site was a frequent target of Scots raids. The Clifford family later added more comfortable living quarters, which were accidentally burnt after a great Christmas party in 1521.

Tip: Parking is limited in the village, so don't use Brough Castle Farm. Farm livestock may be present and the ground is uneven, especially the gatehouse cobbles.

White Scar Cave is a show cave under Ingleborough, in the Chapel-le-Dale valley of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is the longest show cave in Britain, formed in Carboniferous limestone and first explored in 1923. Every visit is a guided tour, covering about a mile and taking around 80 minutes.

Tip: Wear a jumper or jacket, as the cave is a cool 8°C all year; the time of the next tour is displayed at the ticket office.